Tainted
by Lady Casper-san
Summary: [AU] Girls were all about finding a husband in her time. She was all about her career in medicine. That was of course, until he showed up. [IYKIK] [Lemons]
1. Prologue

**Tainted**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha._**

_Dear God, I wrote another series. Okay, I couldn't help myself. This is an AU universe with the lovely Kikyou and Inuyasha in it._

_Please tell if you like it. No Flames however, because quite aware of how many despise the pairing. I'm not interested in hearing it._

**Rated: M (for future lemon)**

* * *

**Prologue**

She only wished to live her days out as what she was: an untainted young woman. Those days however were numbered when she happened to catch an eye of an irresistible man.

Kikyou wasn't much for the things girls her age were. Instead of busying herself with searching for a husband, she was always behind closed doors, studying.

Her mind was set to worry only of wanting a career in medicine. Not, matrimonial.

It was pure irony that she'd run into him while she was busily running toward the local library.

Not so gracefully, either.

Books flew about into the sky as her paperwork floated about her, taunting her.

There was a husky laugh followed by a pair of legs standing before her. He hadn't bent down to help capture the papers he could. "I'm sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going." He mumbled apologetically.

"More like you ran into her, pal." The voice of the laughter said beside them. Kikyou looked up to find a young man with coal black hair twisted into a tiny tail at the back of his head. His smile however was the luring type to catch any woman in a woo. She on the other hand was immune.

The man barked at his friend to shut up before quickly apologizing again. Kikyou however found this one different. Swiftly he piled the papers together and then went a little farther out into the street to pick up the remainder. "Thank you." Kikyou said, surprised to find a smile on her lips as he handed her the pile.

Heat flooded her when he returned the favor and gave her a beautiful smile that had her knees weak.

Long strands of silver light hair had been pulled into a tight tail behind his head as he flicked his amber eyes toward her.

What was so different about him than all the others? And why did she suddenly have a fancy to kiss those kissable lips of his?

"It's not my fault you're an idiot who can't look where he was going," The blacked haired man stated.

The other turned quickly and snapped. "Well maybe if you hadn't been running off another one of you're perverted jokes I would have been watching instead of trying to shut you up."

Both men looked back with wonder when they heard a light giggle.

Had that just come from her?

She giggled again when the one with the long hair slapped the other in the head before turning back to her. "Please don't mind my friend, he's a bit extreme."

"Ha, Inuyasha don't start on extremes."

Inuyasha ignored the comment as he helped Kikyou with the rest of the books and placed them gently in her arms. "You need any help with them?"

Suddenly irritation went through her blood. Once again another man thinking a little labor was not for a young woman. Ha, what a laugh that she actually thought she'd found someone who thought differently.

Kikyou bit her tongue. "No." All humor was lost from her face. "Excuse me." She gritted through clenched teeth as she walked passed the two men.

"Aw, now look what you did. One time the woman doesn't bat long thick lashes at you and you piss her off."

Inuyasha clenched his hand as he watched the woman quickly make her way down the street with a firm stiff back to him. What the hell had he done to suddenly change her mood towards him? And here he really liked her.

"Shud'up Miroku. At least I don't go grabbing every woman's ass."

Miroku frowned, perplexed by his friend's comment. "That's a problem? To me it works just fine."

Once again ignoring his friend's rueful comments, he went in the direction of the woman in spite of his usual ways of acquainting himself with a woman.

Inuyasha wasn't a player but he also wasn't a saint. However this one particularly prodded his interest with earnest.

Who ever she was, his foot stumbled on to something nearly making him trip forward and crash his face into the cement ground, had just had nearly wrung his neck with a book?

He pulled the book from the ground, touching the front that had embroidery along the top in silver of a name.

"Kikyou."

_tbc_


	2. Get Away

**_Tainted_**

** Chapter One: Get Away**

**AN: AU. Kikyou learns that her diary is missing. What's a girl to do?**

**Warning: This is a KikyouxInuyasha series. There will be sexual content, graphic adult content. If you do not like this pairing or the coming content, stop reading now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own them.**

**Rated: M (for later)

* * *

**

Where is it? It wasn't in her leather bag, and it wasn't inside her desk. Where the hell was it?

Panic flooded her face as her heart accelerated. It had be somewhere. Diaries didn't just up and disappear.

Frantically throwing piles of paper from her bag once more, Kikyou cursed at the bottom of the empty bag. Where was it?

Did she drop it? Possibly when she was walking to class yesterday and she hadn't noticed it missing because of being so preoccupied with the exam coming up.

Sounds of laughter spilled into the room and quickly died as the popular girls caught sight of their friend leaning over her desk, forehead inches away from plummeting into the dark departed school books.

"Kik? What are you doing?" Salin asked, her dark locks waving back and forth as she approached the woman. Kikyou frowned. She didn't like being caught off guard by others, especially ones she didn't exactly trust. Clearing her throat she sat back and eyed the black board in the front.

"Nothing, just misplaced something." Salin tilted her head but didn't question it and returned back to the group. Bouts of giggles erupted once more but Kikyou didn't pay them any mind. More students started to fill the room and the laughter began to drown out in the ocean of conversations. But her mind was a totally different issue. Pouring over the events that led up to now, she tried to visualize when she last saw her book.

Her body jerked awake when the call of her name pulled her out of her daydream and back to where the whole class turned to stare at her with questionable looks. Eyes widening a fraction, she turned her attention to the teacher who gave her one look of puzzlement. "Miss Matabi?"

A fit of snickers was heard to her left and she internally rolled her eyes at Tsubaki. That bitch just couldn't seem to find a moment without poking at her, trying to dissect her to find a joke only she found funny. It was no wonder with so much time wasted on her; the girl was failing with a perfect score of F's along her papers.

"Yes Mr. Takumi?"

"I asked if you were here twice. Are you sure you're alright?" Kikyou had not heard him with all the internal wracked going on her mind. She gave a cut nod of her head, the black strands tracing under her cheeks.

Mr. Takumi gave her an eye but continued.

A long dragged breath seemed to die at her lips when she started to hear whispers. Did they have anything else to bother with other then shoot false stories about her? It seemed to be a icy reminder why she had no real friends. All people were traitors waiting to strike.

Quickly the teacher finished off the roll count and started with an epic story from the Western time called 'Romeo and Juliet.'

Once more the sounds of the classroom dulled out and Kikyou could see the images of a man dressed in renaissance clothing as he called his lady Juliet at her window. Being a favorite of hers, Kikyou knew the story all too well and found truth beneath the depth of Shakespeare's words. There was no happily ever after, no matter how hard you fought.

It was a sweet tragic, just like her life.

At that thought, the calling of her name bounced off. "Ms. Matabi?"

Immediately she stood. "Yes?"

Mr. Takumi adjusted his glasses. "You're needed down at the office." He took a stern look at her and tilted his head. "Also, you might want to stop down at the Nurse's office you seem to be a little off."

Kikyou nodded, not agreeing with any of what he said and left the room.

Whispers followed as soon as the classroom door slid shut.

'Why must they always talk about me as if I'm not even there?' Kikyou questioned, glaring at the doorway where no one seemed to care what she thought.

Sighing, she left and headed for the main office.

"Wonder what they want," She thought out loud, the sounding taps of her shoes echoed throughout the hall.

Nearing the office, she noted the little old lady with her black and pepper hair always twisted in a bun leaning over the desk, apparently her attention to who ever was on the other side. Kikyou turned and her eyes bulged out at the sight before her.

No! She internally screamed.

Long luxurious hair poured down the back of a thick muscled man, amber eyes flickering with mirth. He turned his attention to her, saying something amusing to the clerk as she giggled. A toothy grin etched his lips, making her knees want to give out. Gods, did he have a smile!

"What in the seven hells are you doing here?" She asked hotly, not trying to hide her glare.

"Miss Matabi!" Mrs. Ebi squeaked, taken off guard by the girl's sudden aggressiveness.

The man gave a laugh that shook his body. Pulling something from designer's inside pocket and pulled out a rectangular shaped object wrapped in a black silk scarf.

"Playing a magic trick?" Kikyou scoffed and turned her head. "Mrs. Ebi, Mr. Takumi told me to come down here."

Mrs. Ebi nodded. "Yes, Mr. Takashi here said that he found something that belonged to you."

The sound of her heart falling down her stomach and cracking as it flip flopped in a sick manner. Her eyes quickly flicked back over toward what was in his hands. The man took that moment to pull away the silk and Kikyou found herself hyperventilating.

"This diary, I suppose," Mr. Takashi murmured, his lip curled at the end, "is yours?"

tbc


	3. Bite the Dust

_**Tainted**_

**Chapter Two**

**Bite the Dust**

**

* * *

**

AN: AU. Kikyou learns that her diary is missing. What's a girl to do?

Warning: This is a Kikyou x Inuyasha series.

There will be sexual content, graphic adult content. If you do not like this pairing or the coming content, stop reading now.

Disclaimer: I do not own them.

Rated: M (for later)

**

* * *

**

Two things went through Kikyou's mind when she realized her diary lay in the hands of an annoying, chauvinistic ass.

One: Had he opened it?

And Two: If he did, there would be hell to pay…on his end.

"What are you doing with that?" Kikyou reached out to grab it only to catch air as Inuyasha skipped back a step, his eyes glaring playfully. That only seemed to infuriate her more as she grinded her teeth together. What was with this guy?

Did he have fun toying with people and their tolerance?

"Geez, the least you could say is thanks or you're wonderful." He tsked at her, avoiding her searching hands once again by stepping back, toward the desk and looked at Mrs. Ebi in distraught. "Kids today, never seem to learn grace and gratitude."

Kikyou gave a look toward the secretary's face which had been completely mortified by her unusual behavior.

'Okay, calm down. Relax. Don't show emotion.'

Checking herself in place, Kikyou dropped her hands, stood back and eyed him coolly. "My apologies, where are my manners." She offered a smile that didn't reach her eyes and gave a quick, polite bow. "I thank you…Mr. Takashi was it? I'm sorry about my rudeness. I've just been stressed over that book. May I have it?"

She presented her hand out, waiting for the book to touch her fingers knowing now that she recouped her actions, he would _have_ to give it back now.

He gave skeptical arched brow at her performance "Yes," Kikyou inwardly smirked, "only when I believe you're actually sincere." She faltered as she lost even the plastered smile on her face.

"What?"

"You heard me." Inuyasha stated then asked Mrs. Ebi. "I find it rude she would fake politeness don't you?"

The woman's brow rose up as her age old eyes turned to Kikyou then back to him. "I suppose." She said finely, unsure herself.

"Mr. Takashi," Kikyou took a step forward, no longer playing the sweet school girl act "I don't really have time to play these games. Please just return my book so that I can go back to class."

"Inuyasha."

Kikyou frowned, again dropping her empty hand to her side. "What?"

Inuyasha sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as if impatient. "My name. It's Inuyasha. Enough Takashi."

Kikyou straightened her back and narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Ta-ka-shi, I only address my friends by their first name."

He gave a smirk and rolled his amber eyes and leaned his hip against the desk, one foot wedged behind the other. "Fine then it's settled."

Somehow it felt like he simply loved toying with people. "What is settled?"

He gave her a toothy grin and suddenly her stomach somersaulted. She doubted anything going through his mind meant good news for her.

"You, Ms. Matabi are going out on a date with me."

She blushed red from anger or so that's what she told herself as she felt her fingers dig crescent moons into her palm. "First off, I'm not doing anything with you, Mr. Takashi. Secondly, how is it you know my last name?" She paused. "For that matter how did you know I got to school here?"

He inclined his head toward her, never losing his obnoxious smile. "You're uniform looked familiar. So I put two and two together. In any case, you're name is written in the back of you're diary." He said it so matter factly, she waited for the 'duh' to come but he simply kept watching for her reactions. He was getting amusement out of this! She knew it!

"You looked in my book?"

"How else was I s'ppse to find you? I don't have ESP."

She ground her teeth. "Can you please just give me my book back?"

"Nah."

Now she knew her face was red from the sheer anger that boiled through her veins.

"Look, I do NOT have time to play games and I"

"Who said I was playing games?" Inuyasha blinked at her, truly lost. She balked. Now she knew he had to be joking.

She gave a sigh, rubbing her finger against her temple as she did whenever something became far too frustrating. "I doubt you traveled all this way just to seek out a date from me…not by a long shot. So I'll be frank with you." She pulled on his elbow, urging him to leave earshot of the secretary who had been on the edge of her seat watching the argument unfold. When Kikyou was certain the old woman couldn't hear what would fall from her lips, she squared a glare at Inuyasha and gritted out low. "Listen carefully, I know how men think and you came here hoping to find me swooning over you and allowing you in my bed. Correct?" She didn't wait as Inuyasha's jaw came unhinged, a tint painting his cheeks. "Further more, it happened to be you're fault that I lost my journal, not the other way around. So enough already, I have more important things to stress over. " She spoke the last part out in a tired sigh.

There was pregnant silence that filled the small office before a loud sound made Kikyou jump.

Inuyasha was laughing at her! "What do you find so damn funny?"

He continued to chuckle, tried to explain but couldn't get a word out. "One sec," he managed held his stomach while she rolled her eyes at him. "Okay, okay. You think I only reason I came here was to get you to sleep with me?" There was so much disbelief in his tone that it actually made Kikyou rethink her assumptions. Every guy she ever met only wished her for one thing and it wasn't to have an educated conversation on the weather. He didn't seem any different…well, minus the fact that she had a strange attraction to him.

"Why else would you come out of you're way to simply return my book, might I add, that you haven't given back."

The man snorted again and Kikyou's cold exterior fell into one of total mystification.

"I don't know, maybe because I find you interesting."

Interesting?

Kikyou twisted her lips, not sure what to say to that.

"Ms. Matabi?" Kikyou's eyes darted toward the secretary only to find another pair, dark and eerie. Shit.

"Good Morning, Mr. Onigumo." She wanted to cringe as his eyes traveled her up and down. Gods, why did the principal of the school have to be such a perverted ass? Every time he came in a room and laid eyes on her, she felt dirty, used.

Turning her eyes downward, she gave a slight bow, showing respect.

"What are you," he paused, looked up to find a young man glaring at him but then shook it off and turned back to the young woman, "doing out of class?"

Mrs. Ebi spoke thankfully and Kikyou was grateful. "She was called down to the office Sir. This young man here had found one of her personal belongings and wished to return it to her." Mrs. Ebi turned her eyes on Inuyasha and gave a small wink that only Kikyou and Inuyasha could see. "Very sweet young man, coming out of his way."

Kikyou could feel the air stale and she forced herself from gulping down air. It never seemed to feel right whenever the principal was in the room. Naraku Onigumo wasn't a person to have a cheery talk with over lunch. He preferred to lurk about the halls, checking in on only young female teacher's classrooms, never wavering on any one too long and always seeming as though he could stare right through to you're soul.

Apparently, Kikyou seemed to be the most interesting lately. He'd been following her every so often. Not enough to cause suspicion with the administrative officials, but then again he knew what he did.

"Don't be too long," Onigumo said, an underlining tone in his words as he eyed her once more but seemed to be cut off by something from behind her. Kikyou wanted to look but didn't want to break whatever it was that made him lose his attention from her.

When he left, probably returning to his office, Inuyasha gave a huff. "I don't like that man."

Mrs. Ebi and Kikyou both blinked but it was Mrs. Ebi who spoke. "You don't? I can see why. No one feels comfortable with him around, pardon my tongue." Kikyou gave a shake of her head, trying to clear the man's image from her mind.

"You're not the only one." She whispered.

That seemed to attract Inuyasha's interest as he reached out to touch her shoulder which only startled her. "Sorry. You just seem out of it."

Kikyou blinked. She had? "My apologies, I didn't mean anything by that. It's just…nevermind."

It looked like the man wanted to continue but he rethought it after taking into her expression and dropped it.

"Keh. Well, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then."

No one missed the shocked look on her face. "Pardon?"

"T'morrow. Were going out to lunch. It's Saturday right? You have no classes."

She sighed. "You're never going to give up are you?"

Mrs. Ebi answered, "She accepts," she smirked at Kikyou's shocked face and Inuyasha's gleeful one and laughed, "And you better be a gentleman Mr. Takashi. Otherwise," Mrs. Ebi sat back up, straightened herself and winked, "you'll be finding yourself in trouble."

"Mrs. Ebi!" Kikyou hissed low, completely baffled by the woman's sudden interest. The woman had always been soft where she was concerned but still, never had she tried to help her find a date. Not that she needed help. She knew Kikyou wasn't interested in any or all romantic suitors.

The older woman waved a hand at her outburst, "Oh Ms. Matabi, everyone needs a break."

Inuyasha wasn't exactly sure what the break was from but didn't argue about it either.

"So it's settled. Ms. Matabi?" He watched as Kikyou twisted her attention back to him, her eyes hazed over with uncertainty. "Meet me in front of the school at 11."

With that he gave a curt nod toward both women, his eyes wavering on hers then left.

It wasn't until Kikyou had returned to her class that something was amiss. She had left to simply retrieve her book and ended up with a date instead.

Her eyes wavered on her desk as a friend whispered what she had been called for. As the seconds ticked on and Kikyou replayed everything in her mind did she realize something.

'The bastard never gave me my book back!'

TBC


	4. Wait a Minute

**_Tainted_**

**Chapter Three**

**Wait a Minute**

AN: AU. Faced with a sticky situation, Kikyou faces it head on... not realizing just how stickier she'll be getting.

Warning: This is a Kikyou x Inuyasha series.

There will be sexual content, graphic adult content. If you do not like this pairing or the coming content, stop reading now.

Disclaimer: I do not own them.

Rated: M (for later)

She took a breath. Two. Okay, it wasn't that big of a deal, right? All she had to do was simply go on the 'date' and politely listen to whatever was said. Then when all was said and done, grab the book and run.

Yes, that wasn't so hard.

Kikyou stared blankly at herself in the mirror of the bathroom. Her feet cold on the marble floor, she focused on her face, barely able to tell whether she had even blinked away the hallucination before.

No, it couldn't be.

She narrowed her eyes and sure enough, it was her face. Her blushing face that is.

This couldn't be right. Maybe her nerves were simply getting the better of her. That had to be it. No other reason could make any sense of this.

"Ooh, who are you going to see?" A voice drifted through the doorway and Kikyou stepped back, startled.

"I told you to knock when you come in my quarters." A young woman the same age stood at the bathroom door leaning against the threshold. Her long red skirt touched the ground in a whoosh, fanning about her legs with a slit on the side with a tight dark pink bodice that looked uncomfortable yet perfect for her shape.

Sango rolled her eyes, bored with her cousin's snark. "Door was opened. Can't exactly knock on something when it's sitting wide open." She watched as her cousin stepped out to check on the status of her door and sure enough, she had left it gapping open, allowing the whole hall to see in to her room. That wasn't like her in the least. "So, what's with the flushed face cousin?"

Closing the door and making sure it shut, Kikyou stepped back into the bathroom and ignored the question.

"Okay, why are you fussing over you're looks? You're not one to worry about appearances, though you hardly need to worry." Sango muttered the last part, startling her cousin. Usually they never spoke much, Kikyou keeping to herself inside the household that held estranged family members. Sango, much like Kikyou, had been orphaned after her parents died, leaving only her and her brother at the boarding house that their mothers' sister held open with her husband.

Kikyou could understand how it felt. Her own parents had died long ago shortly after her younger sister Kaede's birth, leaving the child to her, who had been only a child herself.

"I'm not." She picked up a stick of dark rogue lipstick, frowned at it and then put it back. "More like wondering why I'm nervous."

Sango slipped from her position against the door at the admission. "Since when are you nervous?"

Glaring at the sink, Kikyou simply shook her and replied, "I don't know."

Silence.

Stepping into the room, Sango brushed a few black strands from Kikyou's face and gave a small smile. "You're fine. Just breathe."

--

After the awkwardness of this morning, Kikyou raced out of the house noticing she only had half an hour to reach the school. Normally that had been plenty of time during weekdays, unfortunately the public transportation always seemed more sweltering with everyone trying to move about the city for the weekend. Kikyou jumped on to the bus, squished past a pair of men with opened white collared shirts and sat down beside a younger girl. What felt like forever, the bus eventually pulled up to the school and Kikyou resisted the urge to just remain on the bus when she caught sight of Inuyasha sitting on the ledge by the fenced entrance of the school.

She, of course, couldn't do that. So sucking up all her courage, she stood up and left the bus.

The second she had, amber eyes were on her, watching her move. Unlike those of Naraku, his seemed to make her strangely warm, almost adored. Strange. She almost believed it but quickly banished the feeling away as she greeted him. "Good afternoon Mr. Takashi."

His smile faltered, "Inuyasha."

After all that had happened, she still wouldn't call him by his first name. For some unknown reason, that irritated him. He wanted to be closer to her, wanted to know her better then anyone. He still couldn't understand his fascination with her just as she couldn't.

She simply was…irresistible.

"I'm sure it is." Kikyou flattened her hands to her sides, her eyes dancing with mirth, daring him to try. They were breathtakingly beautiful, Inuyasha noted. When he didn't retaliate or give her a glare, she lost her smile and noticed the way he was watching her. "Ahem. Where are we going for lunch?"

The smile that he showed floored her to where she stood. How in the hell did he do that? Eyes now twinkling with a secret, Inuyasha presented his arm out to her, which she took without hesitation. "You'll see."

--

"Amazing," Being the only word that could from her lips, Kikyou stepped forward, her fingers trailing over the cherry blossoms that coated along the small blanket. "I didn't know cherry trees grew around here."

Inuyasha stepped up, dropping a small basket beside the blanket and smirked. "They don't usually. About a few decades or so ago though they just started growing here and people have even dubbed it magical."

Kikyou smiled. "Magical huh?"

He gave rueful smile back. "Yeah. Magic. Do you believe in magic?"

The light shrug of her shoulders brought his eyes to her wardrobe. A loose fit sleeveless blouse that tied in the back which revealed to him a small patch of skin just above her shoulders, matching the color the blossoms as a small black belt wrapped around her tiny framed waist to accompany a similar colored skirt.

Breathtaking. Why couldn't he seem to turn away?

Her long extravagant hair pooled loosely about her shoulders, wisps tickling just beside her cheeks.

"It's hard to believe in something that has no true meaning."

Inuyasha blinked back to the present. "What do you mean?"

Playing with a soft petal that had fallen by her lap, she gave another, unenthused shrug as her eyes cast downward.

"Why believe in something that will not help. It's a wasted thought, that's all."

That only seemed to make the man frown more. "Didn't you ever wish for something with all your heart that you poured your very soul into the wish? I'm sure as a kid you must have."

She gave a short laugh that held nothing but malice as her eyes shut tight at the on assault of memories. "My childhood wasn't all too great. At the age of eight, my sister was born. Shortly after that, my parents mysteriously end up dead in some alleyway and the police no idea who had been the culprit. After that, we moved to be with various family members that either didn't want us or couldn't care less whether we existed or not, as long as we didn't cause problems for them."

Inuyasha, at a loss for words, touched the top of her hand with his fingers, twining their fingers together. Immediately, Kikyou glanced down at the sudden touch and stumbled away from it. "I-I'm sorry." She looked away at the hurt expression on his face. "I just don't really trust anyone to touch me."

There stood a silent moment as those words absorbed into his mind. "Wait…Kikyou you weren't…."

Kikyou traveled down the thoughts that must have been bouncing through his head and her eyes widened when it finally hit square on the target. "No! No." She repeated a bit softer then the first. "That's not it. I just have always felt someone watching me. Strange I know. But after my parents' death, I've been very distant to everyone. I just wish to grasp my career, take my sister away from this place and never look back."

Suddenly it seemed too quiet and Kikyou started to pack away food that hadn't been touched.

"I'm sorry if I startled you." Inuyasha whispered.

Kikyou shook her head, brushing off the topic. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. Drowning you with my sob stories that shouldn't matter anymore now then they did back then."

Something snatched Kikyou's hand away from the package of rice cakes she'd been holding as two ambers eyes scorched her where she sat. "Don't."

Kikyou, confused, looked to the basket. "Okay, I won't put the rice cakes away. But you could have just said-"

"Knock it off. That's not what I'm talking about and you know it."

Narrowing her hazel eyes, she pulled her hand free and snapped back. "I _don't_ know what you're talking about."

He needed to calm down. To relax. Inuyasha took a breath and tried this. "I mean you belittle your own pain, to act like its nothing because everyone around you unfortunately belittled it."

She tensed. Her body and mind immediately going on the defense at the intrusion of her thoughts. "Don't sit there and act like you know me. Act like you honestly give a damn about my problems. As far as I'm concerned no one cares about anyone but themselves."

They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity to her before Inuyasha finally stood. "We should probably get going. Last thing we need is to miss the last bus."

Kikyou frowned. "There are other buses to get home. It's still early."

Picking up the basket, he gave a smirk. "No, but it is the last bus that'll take us to my car all the way on the other side of town."

"Oh." Kikyou stated as she stood, but made to ask why when he gave her a mystifying smile. "Surprise, right?"

When he didn't answer and started walking she couldn't but allow the small smile that wished to free cross her lips.

Well after what had just happened, it could only get better, even if just a little.

"Fine, but you better not try seducing me or anything." She followed after him. Inuyasha laughed, eyes sparkling.

"Maybe I should have warned you not to do that to me before."

Her smile dissipated as confusion set in. "What?"

Again, Inuyasha laughed and grabbed her hand gently and continued walking.

Yeah, it could only get better, she thought, as her hand instinctively wrapped around his.

TBC


	5. Don't Stop

**Tainted : Chapter Four**  
**Don't Stop**

**Rated: **T (for now)

_**AN: **So, due to a PM asking about this story, I realized I hadn't updated it in quite some time. My apologies, my muses having been playing hackeysack with my attention. So without further ado, I bring you the next chapter of **Tainted.**_

* * *

They didn't speak as they patiently waited on the bus. Her body hummed with an unusual sensation of excitement. Strange…she wasn't at all used to this.

Every now and again, the bus would slow down unexpectedly and she had to keep her footing on the ground as her body slid into Inuyasha. Not noticing or if it weren't that big of deal, he seemed unfazed whenever her weight crashed into his. Though, she did catch his eyes closing once or twice, as if trying to concentrate on something else.

She almost smirked when her hand fluttered to her thigh and grazed his. The look of pure torture on his face had her reeling back with amusement.

When she thought he would move away, she found herself surprised as he simply leaned into it. Ever the gentleman, he didn't touch nor try and sleazily cop a feel. It seemed like he simply relished in her warmth. Her company. Suddenly she found herself staring at a small boy more so then the charming man she'd bumped into. And the loneliness she'd always felt seemed to home in on that like a long lost partner. She wanted to hug him, bring him down to her lips and kiss him senselessly until that feeling became nothing more than a bad memory. But the thought of her arms around him like that sent an image through her mind and made her ache. She couldn't do this. No. What about her career? Better yet, Kaede? Who would look after her little sister? That threw ice cold water down her back. Straightening, she found her eye darting out through the windows in hopes of a distraction.

By the time they reached their destination, Kikyou had to throw a hand up to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight. Inuyasha escorted her to a nice black car and helped her into the passenger side. When he was sure that she was securely tucked in, he closed the door and went around the other side and hopped in like a boy who'd just found a new game to play. She couldn't help but laugh at the giddy glee that marked his face.

Going down a quiet, mostly untraveled road, Kikyou spotted a boat and felt her lips quirk upward. "Are we going out on the water?" There was no hiding the exhilaration in her voice.

Inuyasha laughed, shaking his head. "I'm not surprised you figured it out."

Not at all hiding her smugness, Kikyou waited patiently with bated breath as they pulled up to a strip of land just near the docks. They both jumped out and headed for the boat. "Is it yours?" Kikyou asked just as a gust of wind blew past, tousling their hair and clothes.

Inuyasha looked up to make a sarcastic remark only to find her fingers tangled in black streams of hair as she smiled. The locks tossed this way and that, tickling her nose and cheek as brushed it back more than once. "Yes." He managed to get out.

Nodding, Kikyou stepped in the boat. Though he tried to help her, she brushed it off and hopped in without trouble.

A brow rose. "Have you ever been on a boat?"

Pulling out a ribbon from her sleeve, Kikyou pulled her hair back. "No."

"You sure act like you do."

She sat down on the seat and patiently waited while he started the engine up. "I've always wanted to though." Lightly, she traced her fingers along the boat's body. "I like the water and the wind. Makes it feel like you can fly." Suddenly a blush crept through her cheeks as her eyes once again darted away from him. "That must sound so silly."

Inuyasha stooped down just in front of her, taking both of her small hands into his large calloused ones and kissed the back of each. "No. I don't find that silly at all."

Kikyou, dumbfounded and feeling lightheaded, simply nodded as if she had to acknowledge some hidden question in his words.

Within a few moments, the wind gusted through the sails and the water was sliced with the boat's girth as the sun kept them nice and warm.

--

"So, what's it like?" Mused hair which had been tied back now lay loosely on her shoulders as her hazel eyes watched in amusement at the work it took to keep the boat maintained. Kikyou found fascination in the works of all that needed to be done. Maybe one day, when she received her Ph.D, she would buy herself a boat. Kaede would love it.

Inuyasha twisted a few ropes as he angled his body toward her. "What's what like?"

"Being on the boat all the time," The taste of salt water drifted up and her eyes danced to the waves of the water.

Sighing, he secured off the last rope then plopped down beside her on the seat. Their thighs once again brushing up against one another though neither complained.

"I'm happy. But really, I'm not on the boat all that much."

"Then what do you do with most of your time?"

"Help run my late father's company with my brother." He said it so flatly; Kikyou had to wonder what in the world in that statement made him so depressing.

"Do you like it?" She wondered out loud.

He simply shrugged. Turning, he caught the look in her eyes and gave a half hearted laugh. "Look at you, worrying about me. I thought you had pegged me for some chauvinistic pig."

Kikyou blushed, embarrassed. "Actually…"

Laughing all the harder, he leaned into the seat. "So you did. That's fine. A lot of people seem to think as such. I just let them."

A frown marred her lips. "Why? Why do you let others speak about you like that?"

Giving another shrug, Inuyasha gave her a small smile that tickled something inside her heart. "I don't really care what they think. They talked about me being the bastard son, why should I care what they think of my attitude?"

Confusion littered her eyes with puzzles. Bastard son?

"I'm the son of a mistress." He replied simply.

"Oh." She felt numb. What in the world does someone say to that? "Was your mother happy to have a male mistress?"

Inuyasha looked at her like she'd grown two heads before he roared with laughter. She tried to hide her own but soon felt it bubbling up as well.

"You would think such a thing." He wiped tears from his eyes and gave a soft chuckle.

Kikyou sobered up. "What do you mean?"

Shrugging once more, he laid his head back, closing his eyes. "To me, you're the type of woman who sees all as equals. Just because most mistresses or concubines are women, you go straight for the jugular by saying it's a male concubine instead."

Not at all really certain she liked being told what she was, she leaned back, resting her body next to his. "Do you think that snobbish of me? When I'm merely a woman in a man's world?"

Cracking one amber eye open, Inuyasha replied "No. I find it refreshing actually."

That answer satisfied her. Smiling, she leaned back and closed her own eyes. "Good."

After a few quiet moments settled between the two, Inuyasha finally spoke. "You think we should start to head back before we fall asleep?"

Kikyou gave a whisper of a murmur, "Just a little bit more."

Slouching back down, Inuyasha gave a nod. "You're the boss."


End file.
